Still Standing

Melrose again advanced to the Final Four. Why?

1a. The players. Melrose graduated the Freedom Division MVP in Elena Soukos and other key players, but returned six seniors including the Human Pogo Stick in Gia Vlajkovic. They also had a blocking force return in Sadie Jaggers in the middle. 

1b. Coaching. Coaching is especially important in high school. "Every day is player development day." In my opinion, Scott Celli did his best work this season, navigating a hard schedule, sticking with the seniors through some hard knocks, and maintaining enthusiasm and positivity. 

2. Improvement. This is not the same team that opened the season against Peabody or scuffled some against Arlington. They're defending and blocking better, serving well, and generating more offense both inside and outside. During the season Ruth Breen, Emma Desmond, Anna Shoemaker, and Ava McSorley have all punched their tickets with consistent skill. 

3. Scheduling. "Iron sharpens iron." The record is deceptive because of losses to elite competition. Melrose beat Duxbury because Melrose was the better team in every facet of the game. Video is the Truth Machine and I've watched the final four points twenty times via the NFHSNetwork (subscription).  

4. Senior leadership. Not many Melrose teams relied upon senior contributions as much as this one. 

5. Killer queens (see 'Rollercoaster' above). Only a handful of Melrose athletes have over 300 kills in a season. Gia Vlajkovic is near the top of that exclusive club at 320. 

Only one team in Melrose history (2005) had three attackers with over 200 kills in the same season. There's an outside chance that happens this season. 

As teams advance through the Tournament, they WIN points. Defenses are too consistent and players too experienced to give bundles of points away. Melrose had 60 kills against Duxbury, versus the usual 11-12/set.